Emergency maneuvering using lateral sliding

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to emergency lateral maneuvers using brake-induced tire sliding. In one embodiment, a method includes determining a vehicle state for a vehicle according to sensor data about a surrounding environment. The method includes computing, using the sensor data and the vehicle state, lateral accelerations that are yaw-free for the vehicle. The method includes, in response to detecting that the vehicle state is associated with an emergency event, selecting a maneuver from the lateral accelerations. The method includes controlling the vehicle according to the maneuver.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A control system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing:
 a braking module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: 
 determine a vehicle state for a vehicle according to sensor data about a surrounding environment; 
 compute, using the sensor data and the vehicle state, lateral accelerations that are yaw-free for the vehicle that is without a change in yaw acceleration; 
 in response to detecting that the vehicle state is associated with an emergency event of an obstacle in a path of the vehicle, select a maneuver from the lateral accelerations; and 
 control the vehicle according to the maneuver to induce controlled lateral sliding of the vehicle to avoid the obstacle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral accelerations are maneuvers for the vehicle that saturate a rear brake of the vehicle to induce sliding in an associated rear wheel of the vehicle for intentionally inducing the controlled lateral sliding. 
     
     
       3. The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the braking module includes instructions to compute the lateral accelerations including instructions to compute a range of possible accelerations for maneuvering the vehicle without yaw acceleration and that cause slip in one or more rear wheels of the vehicle by activating an associated rear brake. 
     
     
       4. The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the braking module includes instructions to control the vehicle according to the maneuver causing the vehicle to move laterally without inducing yaw acceleration in the vehicle by causing the vehicle to perform a controlled slide that facilitates avoiding the obstacle in a high-speed turn. 
     
     
       5. The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the maneuver is part of a high-speed turn, and wherein braking module includes instructions to control the vehicle according to the maneuver includes instructions to disable an anti-lock braking system. 
     
     
       6. The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the braking module includes instructions to acquire the sensor data from the vehicle about the vehicle and the surrounding environment of the vehicle, and
 wherein the sensor data includes observations about the surrounding environment and dynamics of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the braking module includes instructions to detect that the vehicle state is associated with the emergency event including instructions to identify a hazard within a path of the vehicle, including the obstacle. 
     
     
       8. The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the braking module includes instructions to select the maneuver from the lateral accelerations including instructions to determine which of the lateral accelerations avoid the emergency event by moving the vehicle laterally away from the emergency event. 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 determine a vehicle state for a vehicle according to sensor data about a surrounding environment; 
 compute, using the sensor data and the vehicle state, lateral accelerations that are yaw-free for the vehicle that is without a change in yaw acceleration; 
 in response to detecting that the vehicle state is associated with an emergency event of an obstacle in a path of the vehicle, select a maneuver from the lateral accelerations; and 
 control the vehicle according to the maneuver to induce controlled lateral sliding of the vehicle to avoid the obstacle. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the lateral accelerations are maneuvers for the vehicle that saturate a rear brake of the vehicle to induce sliding in an associated rear wheel of the vehicle for intentionally inducing the controlled lateral sliding. 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions to compute the lateral accelerations include instructions to compute a range of possible accelerations for maneuvering the vehicle without yaw acceleration and that cause longitudinal slip in one or more rear wheels of the vehicle by activating an associated rear brake. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions to control the vehicle according to the maneuver cause the vehicle to move laterally without inducing yaw acceleration in the vehicle by causing the vehicle to perform a controlled slide. 
     
     
       13. A method, comprising:
 determining a vehicle state for a vehicle according to sensor data about a surrounding environment; 
 computing, using the sensor data and the vehicle state, lateral accelerations that are yaw-free for the vehicle that is without a change in yaw acceleration; 
 in response to detecting that the vehicle state is associated with an emergency event of an obstacle in a path of the vehicle, selecting a maneuver from the lateral accelerations; and 
 controlling the vehicle according to the maneuver to induce controlled lateral sliding of the vehicle to avoid the obstacle. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the lateral accelerations are controls for the vehicle that saturate a rear brake of the vehicle to induce sliding in an associated rear wheel of the vehicle to induce controlled lateral sliding of the vehicle to avoid the obstacle. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein computing the lateral accelerations includes computing a range of possible accelerations for maneuvering the vehicle without yaw acceleration and that cause slip in one or more rear wheels of the vehicle by activating an associated rear brake. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein controlling the vehicle according to the maneuver causes the vehicle to move laterally without inducing yaw acceleration in the vehicle by causing the vehicle to perform a controlled slide. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the maneuver is part of a high-speed turn, and
 wherein controlling the vehicle according to the maneuver includes instructions to disable an anti-lock braking system. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 acquiring the sensor data from the vehicle about the vehicle and the surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein the sensor data includes observations about the surrounding environment and dynamics of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein detecting that the vehicle state is associated with the emergency event includes identifying a hazard within a path of the vehicle. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , wherein selecting the maneuver from the lateral accelerations includes determining which of the lateral accelerations avoid the emergency event by moving the vehicle laterally away from the emergency event.